Monday, March 12, 2012

The San Francisco Giants' biggest concern coming into the 2012 season has been anything but worrisome, at least during the start of the 2012 Cactus League.

The Giants have swung the bats so far in their first 10 games this spring. They stand at 7-3-1 for the spring and have slugged a .326 team batting average.

San Francisco's power numbers have been the best in the Cactus League so far. In 11 games, the Giants lead the league with 18 home runs and 70 RBIs.

The Giants are also second in the league in runs scored with 73. The only team better in that statistic is the Seattle Mariners with 74 runs scored.

Their ability to get on-base has also been encouraging this spring. The Giants lead all of baseball (Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues) in OPS with a .919 clip, and they have a team on-base percentage of .376, good for third in the Cactus League.

Is this foreshadowing the team's 2012 season, or is it a mirage?

It is difficult to say since the ball flies in Arizona, but a couple of players stand out as in-shape and ready to go (I would like to hear your thoughts by commenting below).

Keith Allison/Flickr, Creative Commons

Melky Cabrera continues to have a torrid spring training. Over the weekend, he went 3-for-7 against Milwaukee Brewers Saturday and the Seattle Mariners Sunday, with another double and three RBI.

Cabrera's spring average is now at .542, with three home runs, four doubles, and nine RBI in seven games. He leads the Cactus League in both home runs and RBI.

Here is a quick wrap-up of the Giants' three weekend spring training games:

That is 25 runs in 3 games. It is safe to say that the Giants had a swinging weekend.

On the injury front, Buster Posey and Brian Wilson each played in the game Sunday against the Mariners. Both looked encouraging and appear to be back to form.

Buster Posey went 0-for-2 on Sunday, but caught four innings. With Brian Wilson on the mound and a runner at first base in the second inning, Posey fired a strike to second base to gun down the Mariners' Carlos Peguero in an inning-ending strike-em-out, throw-em-out double play.

Rob Shenk (Flickr) [Creative Commons]

In that same game, Wilson pitched a scoreless fourth inning. He gave up a one-out single to Peguero and struck out one.

Wilson's velocity was in the low 90s, but he still effectively and efficiently completed a scoreless inning. Most importantly, Wilson pitched nine pain-free pitches.

I am sure Wilson will crank up the velocity once the games count.

As I write this, I see Aaron Rowand, now with the Miami Marlins, on ESPN strike out on a low and away slider. Classic Aaron Rowand. I smile.